Welcome to Studio Saturday! Each week one of our contributors gives you a sneak peek into their studio, creative process or inspirations. We ask a related question of our readers and hope you’ll leave comments! As an incentive we offer a free prize each week to bribe you to use that keyboard. The following week we choose a random winner.
Hey Hey, it’s another Studio Saturday with Jangles. This week, i am busy busy busy getting ready for the Bead and Button Show. It’s only two weeks away! Yikes, it’s coming up fast. So this year, just like the previous years before I am crazy trying to get it all done. There are lots of lists all over the house. There are beads and boxes everywhere too. My husband asked me last night, ” Is this the point when Bead and Button starts to take over our house?” It happens every year.
So this is what it is looking like…
I am teaching five classes at the show so I have been preparing class kits. These have glaze, clay, and tools to make ceramic beads. I have to pack my little kiln because I am teaching a kiln firing class too.
Then there are the beads…
They are everywhere. There are beads that need to be glazed in my kiln.
There beads that need clear glaze.
The pairs have to be tied together, the sets need to be strung on wire, and toggles need to be placed on cards.
Once I get everything made, it onto the display. I always redo my display. I like to keep things fresh. I set up a mock layout on the floor so I can see if I have everything I need. This year I am changing all of my display from black to white, plus I have a new table cloth and maybe a new sign if time permits.
As you can see the Jangles Studio, uh lets say Jangles house if very busy right now…..
If your an Art Bead Scene reader and coming to the show please stop by my booth and say hi, I would love to meet some of you in person. I will be in booth 1113.
My question for the week is about displays for shows….do you find yourself always changing things around or do you keep the same look year after year? Answer in the comments and I will send you one of my new beads that I have made for the show.
Jennifer Heynen
Jangles
Alice
May 16, 2009 at 12:57 pmOh, I’d love to be attending the Bead and Button Show but my budget is too small.
I’ve only been doing shows for just over a year, and other than rearranging them around on the table, my displays have remained the same. But this summer I want to start making themed displays every once in a while to mix it up. I’m thinking about doing a Pirate theme where I use a treasure chest that appears to have washed up on the beach. It will be dripping with jewels and pirate booty. The table will be made to look like the beach with a little net, shells and other pirate booty (and of course my jewlery). I’ll have to scout around the flea markets and my dad’s basement to find old items that will fit the theme.
I’m excited about the prospect, but will have to try it out at home first to make sure my jewelry does not get lost in the display.
If it works, I might try other themes such as a tea party or elegant dinner table setting, a garden theme, and nature theme (rocks, twigs, nests etc.)and Hollywood movies.
Alice
Anonymous
May 16, 2009 at 2:24 pmI only do shows at Christmas time. I change my display from show to show, but that is more a reflection of space and the show set-up than any plan.
When I bought busts to display my necklaces, I bought a variety of sizes, shapes, and colors to keep it interesting and give myself options in how to set up my table(s).
When I first set up my earring display, I used a black background, but when I switched to white it was much easier to see my earrings.
I think changing things around helps you discover what it is you loved about the pieces when you were making them and lets returning customers focus on different items.
KJ
gail whitehead
May 16, 2009 at 4:49 pmDear Jennifer,Your studio par house looks like a gnomes forest!so cute,like Candyland.I change things every year,I believe.If one way seems to attract more people,then I’ll try again next year.Good luck,Jennifer and have fun!
SharonP
May 16, 2009 at 5:26 pmHi Jennifer–that’s a huge load of beads! I find that I change my display look for each show, just by adding a prop or a different display from the last show to change things up. I notice brighter colors put me in a better mood!
TesoriTrovati
May 16, 2009 at 5:27 pmJennifer- I cannot even imagine how much stuff you have to get ready! You know I will be stopping by on Thursday and now I have decided to come to the Wednesday meet the teachers event!
I only do one show a year. So I don’t really vary it much. But I am always on the lookout for some fresh displays. I have black leatherette busts (don’t like the white and hate the flocked), I have twin size black sheets that cover my tables and are long enough to hide the underbelly. I have some funky metal wall displays that I have turned into eye grabbing displays for earrings and such. My unifying theme appears to be black.
I saw the most amazing display last year. They had cake stands and bowls and platters all filled with gourds and walnuts and fall veggies. Their jewelry was draped over everything at all the different levels. It was lush, fit the season and was very eye popping.
Looking forward to getting all sorts of display ideas in two weeks!
Get back to the kiln, missy! There’s glazing to be done!
Enjoy the day!
Erin
The Joy of Nesting
May 16, 2009 at 5:54 pmAlthough I don’t have a business nor do I sell my creations (I’m an Expat.living in Mexico, my visa doesn’t alow me to work for monetary reward) I do have 2 very good friends with a galleria. They are a very talented young Mexicoan couple. On the weekends they set up a booth at the artist market in the public square. I can’t sell my pieces but I can volunteer to help Helena at their booth. We have noticed that if we take the time to “redecorate” the display tables every few weeks pieces sell faster. Lots of times a piece that has been languishing becomes a popular piece just by changing the background or way we had been displaying it 🙂
Pattie 😉
Mazatlan Mx
RupaB
May 16, 2009 at 6:31 pmWow there is lot of work that needs to get done before B&B!
It is essential to try to something different in terms of disply, maybe set a theme…just like window displays in large depatment stores.
Additionally, I've noticed that people tend to buy more if they can touch/feel and there is story to the beads…so have a tray/area where they can see beads in various levels of completion like you have done in the photos on this post….it also means more questions, but this is a great way to connect to the customer and they will appreciate it with dollars.
Finally, samples of jewelry and other accessories…. inspiration pieces as to what they can do with the beads, easy to more complex projects. Remember the crossover market, most crafters dabble in severeal different crafts so show them how the beads/cabs can be used in say scrapbooking or altered art.
Jeannie
May 16, 2009 at 8:45 pmI change it (I get bored easily) and then so will my customers. I first take into consideration is the amount of space and that will determine my display props. I want my potential customer to feel like the atmosphere was created just for them. I change the table covers to conceal table legs. Lighting is very important and showmanship. Are they interested in my work? And lastly, price tags on everything, UGH!!!!!!
Mari Aparicio
May 16, 2009 at 9:49 pmI have never put on display my pieces of jewelry. Everything I make is for me or my friends and family. But.. A good friend of mine, a jewelry designer, has had experienced putting on display her jewelry and art work. What she does is combine her art work with her jewelry work, creating a balance among them in which neither one will outshine the other. By doing this, every jewelry display is different depending on her latest art work.
Mari from Puerto Rico
Dale
May 17, 2009 at 1:42 amI’ve never attended a show to sell myself, but i have been to shows for buying. I really like the idea suggested above by Alice, re: having themes for this.
If i was to set up a booth, i would try for a natural theme for my booth (as this would mix well with my jewelry), including such things as rocks, driftwood and shells. I like the idea of jewelry draped everywhere in a natural setting.
Mellisa - Chinook Jewelry
May 17, 2009 at 4:42 pmI don’t do many shows (off to do one right now though surprisingly!) but I have stayed fairly similar for the last couple shows. If I did them frequently I would definitely want to switch it up, for my sake if not anyone else!
byZarah.com
May 17, 2009 at 7:03 pmLove your ceramic beads! 🙂 I’m always on the look for cool beads to my projects. Thanks for sharing! / byZarah.com
Catherine
May 17, 2009 at 7:57 pmI do several shows a year and seem to always change out table covering colors – all dependent on my mood or the season. Like to use light minty greens, light peach, light aqua colors, etc., colors to highlight my jewelery but also to stand out in the sea of blacks and whites. Have had many customers say that they were attracted to the color! Also use potted flowers for pops of color (then they get planted into my flower beds 🙂 and other natural found items as props. Like to keep things fresh for the repeat customers.
Anonymous
May 18, 2009 at 1:43 amI have a friend and she nad I do shows together so we collborate on ideas for our booth each time we set up it always has something new and fresh and I like having changes in the way we set up I don’t want my customers to have the idea that we are like everyone else, we are different and our products are fresh and different it seys us apart! Thanks for the give away !! Love your beads
[email protected], Debra G.
Anonymous
May 18, 2009 at 4:32 amThanks for the laugh on your husbands comment of Bead and Button taking over the house. I have just started doing shows this last year and have found that changing the look to the theme, and using different colors each time makes a huge differance. Just recently used the look of kids jungle gyns and a garden cart with umbrella for ejwelry displays, was a big hit with many people asking if I bought them somewhere, no, I made them myself. Have fun at the Bead and Button show
JenniferJangles
May 18, 2009 at 11:39 amI love all your comments…first let me say we have Peurto Rico and Mexico comments, how cool is that?
So I am not the only one, that’s for sure! I love all the different approaches taken for displays. I learned a lot from all of you. I set up my display yesterday in the garage so I could play with it for the next couple of weeks. Right now it’s all black and I want it to be all white…today I will figure out if it’s paint or fabric or new items that will get me there. I agree that a new display freshens things up and get me excited and my customers excited.
Have a great day,
Jennifer
Cindy Lietz, Polymer Clay Tutor
May 18, 2009 at 4:45 pmIt looks very exciting around there! Lots of creative energy I am sure!
I’m not the same person from year to year, so I can’t possibly imagine having the same display. I tend to have many of the same elements but the set up is always different!
Valerie C.
May 21, 2009 at 2:40 amI like my booth to stay fresh each time I set up. I am booked every weekend until Xmas and I plan on changing things around to showcase a different piece each week. It can get old and boreing with the same set up and it shows to the customer. Even it you have the same customers each week you want them to think that it is the first time they have been to your booth. So far so good. I leave again Friday after work for a 2 hour drive and I have new props and jewelry for this week. I plan on doing the same for every week. Wish me luck.
Sprite
May 22, 2009 at 4:08 amI do change my display by adding a different display, mat (placemats!), bowl, etc. However, a few key elements tend to stay the same, my table coverings, I have a glass case for my high-end creations and so forth. I walk the balance between keeping things fresh and having to pack/unpack and lug all the bowls, plates, dishes, displays, etc. into and out of the shows. I usually do 8-12 shows per year.
søren
May 23, 2009 at 1:08 pmI change things all the time for shows! If I find a way of displaying something that I *really* love, I will keep it for a while, but change the things that are displayed there frequently – I love to use branches and pieces of wood to display stuff, so I’m always on the hunt for new ones…
KPC Jewelry Magazine Staff
June 2, 2009 at 3:11 pmI can’t believe you’re teaching five classes at the BeadAndButtonShow.com, Jennifer!! You must have been a crazy woman getting ready! We’re all so excited about the show here at BeadStyle, Bead&Button, and Art Jewelry magazines. I can’t wait to shop this weekend!